The role of wild animals in the spread of exotic diseases in Australia

The distributions of the following feral animals are given — cattle, buffalo, pig, goat, deer, camel, horse, donkey, fox, dog and cat — and the native dingo. The possible role these and the native rodents, marsupials and monotremes would play should an exotic disease of livestock enter Australia is discussed. It is considered that feral animals would be important in creating foci from which the disease would spread.